How the Dragon Got His Balls Back
by Lady Lark
Summary: A long winter has covered the land. People are dying. It is up to one youth to save them. But to do that, he has to face the dragons.
1. The Quest

_Disclaimer: Dragonball Z was created by Akira Toriyama. It is owed/licensed by Toei, Bird Studios, Shonen Jump, Funimation, and Viz. In other words, not by me. This is a fanwork made by fans for fans. No money was made in the production of this work. _

_AN: And yes this is a Dragonball Z story – it is just a full of original flair. _

**How the Dragon Got His Balls Back**

_By LadyLark_

Chapter 1: The Quest

* * *

_Listen my children and I will tell you a tale. A tale like no other. It is a tale of heroism and sacrifice. A tale of skill, luck and cunning. The tale of our beginnings. The tale of how the dragon got his balls back. _

Once upon a time, when dragons still roamed the land, there lived a young man by the name of Conh. Conh was a very good youth. He devoted himself to caring for his elderly father while trying to scrape a meager existence as a farmer out of the land. But the land itself was cursed, blanketed in a seemingly endless winter that had stretched on for over two years. People whispered that the world itself was dying, but no one knew the truth of it.

One cold evening, things took a turn for the worse, villagers started falling ill to a vicious wasting sickness. At first, it was the elderly who were affected. Then, the children started to be struck down. The healer tried to attend to all of the sick, but it became too much for him and he too succumbed to the disease.

In a panic, the remaining healthy town leaders convened to attempt to find a solution. They debated for hours. Ideas were thrown about like a leaves in the wind. Eventually, they decided that they needed a champion: someone to seek out the seven ancient Dragons and get their help.

The next question posed is who they would nominate to make the journey. This time, the debate was much shorter. All of the leaders voted that Conh be the one to approach the Dragons.

Tracking through the snow, the council head, Brank made his way to the little hut Conh shared with his father. Through the windows, Brank could see Conh sitting by his father, attempting to spoon liquid into the old man. His heart filled with trepidation, Brank knocked on the door.

Conh opened the door, a look of surprise clearly etched on his features.

"Good evening, Elder Brank. I didn't expect to see anyone tonight. Won't you please come in?"

Stamping his feet to rid them of snow, the elder replied. "Thank you, Conh. Do you by any chance have something hot to drink? It's frightfully cold out here."

The youth nodded, opening the door a wider. "Just some hot water. I ran out of tea a few days ago."

"That'll be fine." Brank stepped into the small home and settled himself on one of the chairs near the fire. "I have a favor to ask you, my boy."

Conh stopped from where he was rummaging around the kitchen to look at Brank. "A favor?" he asked, curiously. "What kind of favor?"

"I need, that is, we, the council, need you to undertake a quest for us."

"What kind of quest?"

Brank took a deep breath. "The most important kind. We want you to go visit the Seven Ancient Dragons and beseech their help. You may have noticed that our whole village is dying. Not all at once. But a little bit at a time. First it was the crops, then the livestock, now . . . well now we are."

Conh nodded slowly. "Why go to the dragons?"

"Because, they are reputed to be the oldest and wisest of creatures in this land. If anyone, or anything, would know of the way to heal us, it would be them."

"Why me?"

"You're the best of us."

"I don't see that. I'm just a farmer. And I've got my father to take care of."

"You aren't just a farmer; you are the strongest and kindest man we know. Everyone likes you. You are the best representative that our village has to offer."

"I don't think so. Why don't you go?"

"Conh, I am old. I am only a few years younger than your father. I would go. And I would die on the journey," Brank answered bluntly.

"What about my father?" Conh asked. "I can't just leave him!"

Brank sighed; he knew that this would be the crux of the argument. "Conh –" he began, when a thin voice interrupted.

"You can go, son."

Conh hurried over to the chair by his father's bed. "Father . . ."

"You're a good boy, and I'm proud of you. But you have to do what is right," he paused, struggling to breathe. "This . . . this quest . . . this quest is right."

"Please, Conh. The village needs you."

The youth's shoulders slumped in defeat. "All right, I'll do it."

"Thank you, Conh," Brank said gratefully. "Thank you."

"So, where do I find these Seven Dragons?"

"Legend tells that they reside in a cave hidden deep within Mt. Kamen, which is about a week's journey from here. I don't know much more than that."

Conh nodded, never taking his eyes off his father. "I'll leave in the morning." At the old man's nod, he looked sharply at Brank. "I am trusting you to care of him, that is the condition of my acceptance. I don't want him left alone."

"I promise to care for him like he were my own kin." Brank stood. "Now, I need to get back to my family. I will be by in the morning to see you off."

* * *

AN: If you made it here, I am surprised and honored. This story is a little weird and is my take on a fairy tale in the DBZ universe. Try to guess what story I am telling here. The clues are there. I have the next part written & it should be published in the next few days.

Let me know what you think! Any and all reviews, criticism, etc. is accepted and encouraged.

Thanks!


	2. The Journey

_Disclaimer: Dragonball Z was created by Akira Toriyama. It is owed/licensed by Toei, Bird Studios, Shonen Jump, Funimation, and Viz. In other words, not by me. This is a fanwork made by fans for fans. No money was made in the production of this work. _

_AN: And yes this is a Dragonball Z story – it is just a full of original flair. _

**How the Dragon Got His Balls Back**

_By LadyLark_

Chapter 2: The Journey

* * *

At dawn the following day, Conh began his journey. He carried with him a small pack of supplies, a staff, and the hopes of his people.

For five days he walked, picking his way across frozen rivers and streams. He passed a few deserted villages, the inhabitants mysteriously vanished. He didn't tarry long in those ghost towns, choosing to rest burrowed under the snow. He drank little and ate even less, trying to stretch his stores out so that he would have enough for the journey home.

On midday of the sixth day, he reached the base of Mt. Kamen. He looked up at the towering peak and sank to his knees. "Oh Great Dragons! Hear the cry of one of your subjects!" Conh shouted.

He waited on his knees for several minutes. The wind howled and the snow blew. But nothing happened. He tried again to call to dragons, but again got no answer.

"So you're gonna make me come to you," he grumbled as he clambered to his feet. Brushing the snow from his legs, he started to make his way up the mountain.

He climbed until his legs throbbed and his lungs burned. And then he climbed some more. Every thirty minutes or so, he would pause to survey his surroundings searching for the Dragons' lair. "I hope I don't have to circle this massive thing," he muttered. The wind shrieked, blowing through his clothing to chill his bones.

He was about a fourth of the way up when the sun started to set. What little warmth it had provided, waned even more. "I think I am going to have to find some kind of shelter soo-" he started when the ground gave out from underneath him.

Conh flailed against the sides of the tunnel trying to slow or stop his descent. Rocks and snow tumbled down the shaft with him. He tried to turn himself so that when he reached the end he would land feet, not head, first. He succeeded in positioning himself just in time. The tunnel ended abruptly and he fell several feet into a pile of dry grass.

He lay in the straw for several moments taking stock of both himself and his surroundings. He was amazed to be in one piece and relatively uninjured. He was in a large open cave, with any luck it would be the Lair of the Dragons. Smiling to himself, he started searching for his staff and pack.

"What are you doing here?" a child's voice asked from behind him.

Conh started. Leaping to his feet, he whirled to face the voice. There was no one behind him.

"Up here."

He looked up and saw a small gold and green dragon perched on a ledge a few feet above where he landed. He blinked in shock. While he had hoped that this would be the Lair of the Seven Dragons, he didn't think he would be running into one so soon.

"Dra-dragon. . ."

"You have correctly determined that I am a dragon," the little dragon replied with a nod of his head. "So I ask again, what are you doing here in my nest?"

Conh continued to stare stupidly at the dragon. Then shook his head to clear it. This was no place for country bumpkins; he had a quest to complete. "I-I didn't know it was your nest," he began. "I was climbing Mt. Kamen, trying to find the Lair of the Seven Dragons—"

"Well, it appears you have found it . . ."

"I see that."

"Why were you looking for the dragons?"

"My village is dying. The people have started to succumb to this strange sickness and if the snow doesn't melt soon, we are going to die of starvation."

"Why should I concern myself with the affairs of mortals?"

Conh was dumbfounded. "I thought the dragons were the protectors of this land."

"**We** are. **I am **not. You see the difference."

"No, I don't."

The dragon sighed. "As a whole, we protect and care for this land. Individually we are not as effective. Some of us don't understand why we should be obligated to protect a land that does not protect us."

"What do you mean?"

"Where you and your kind when my brothers and sisters were taken? I'll tell you! You were off contemplating your own misery not seeing or caring about the affairs of others who were different from you. You didn't care about us dragons until you needed us." The dragon sniffed and Conh thought that if it were possible the little dragon would be crying. "And now I'm the only one left! So, no, I won't help you."

Reeling from the information, Conh felt his legs give out from under him and he collapsed back into the straw. The dragons were gone. Taken. Only this angry little dragon remained. How was he supposed to save his village? What was he supposed to do now? He looked up at the dragon and he remembered what he had said. His brothers and sisters were taken. Maybe that was the place to start.

"I'm sorry. You're right; we mortals do tend to think mostly of ourselves. It is a failing of every living thing to be self-centered and self-serving. What happened to your brothers and sisters?" Conh asked from the floor. "Maybe there's something I can do to help."

"Huh? I doubt it, but alright," the dragon sniffed. "It started about two years ago. Maybe more. Two sorceresses came to us ostensibly seeking our help. They were ugly and wrinkled and had the strangest names. The older one was called Salaga and the younger, her daughter I believe, was called Jewela. My eldest brother greeted them and invited them inside. My family was all gathered in our receiving room. Well, all of them except for me. I was hiding off to one side. I wanted to play a prank on these newcomers and had a bucket of ashes ready to dump on them.

"Salaga and Jewela entered the room and right as I was about to shower them with ash they began chanting. My brothers and sisters were all frozen in place, transfixed by their spell. Then they reached a crescendo and pointed at my eldest brother. He-he was lifted into the air and his body seemed to jerk and shake uncontrollably. Suddenly there was this bright flash of light and hovering where my brother had been was an orange ball with a single red star in it.

"The sorceresses repeated the process on the rest of my family until there were six orange balls floating in the air. I could still feel my brothers and sisters but their spirits felt muffled. Jewela started gathering the balls up and I could hear the two talking. They said something about channeling the power of the dragons so they could have their hearts desire; they didn't say what they wanted. The mother, Salaga, conjured up a bag and waved the balls into it. She then levitated the bag and walked out of the cave.

"I was so scared that I was just frozen there. I couldn't do anything. I wanted to dump the ash on them and go snatch the bag away from them, but I was rooted to the spot. I was forced to let them go."

The little dragon paused in his tale to take a few calming breaths. "A couple of months later, the daughter came back she started searching the cave and mumbling 'Come out, come out, where ever you are!' I know she was looking for me. So I stayed hidden. Since then, she's come back three more times. And so I moved further & further back into the caves. I know if I go out they will get me." His high-pitched voice started to shake in fear.

Conh looked at the dragon. "What's your name?" he asked gently.

"Abraxis."

"Well, Abraxis, it sounds like you were both lucky and smart," Cohn soothed. "Lucky in that you were planning on playing a prank so that the sorceresses didn't see you. Smart enough to know that you couldn't take on the sorceress when she returned."

"Yeah, fat lot of good that does me."

Rubbing his temples, the youth thought about Abraxis' story and his quest. The start of the long winter and the disappearance of the dragons was too coincidental not to be linked. But he needed to be sure. "Abraxis, the dragons are linked to the land, right?"

"Correct."

"So if the dragons are in danger, then the land is too?"

"Yes," Abraxis responded slowly. He narrowed his eyes at Conh. "What are you getting at?"

"Well, I think your problem and my problem are linked. In order to save my village I need to end this winter. And in order to do that, I need to save your family."

The dragon shook his head in confusion. "I don't see your point. Why do you have to save my brothers and sisters in order to stop the winter?"

"Because the winter started around the time when your family was taken. The temperature dropped, the sun faded, the wind picked up. It is like the land was out of control and didn't know what to do. I think that the dragons are linked to the land. And that with their capture, the link was severed." Conh stopped and narrowed his eyes at the young dragon. "You've been trying to keep the balance yourself, haven't you?"

"Yes. But I don't know what to do! I'm the youngest, the weakest. I can't do it by myself!" Abraxis fluttered his wings agitatedly.

"You don't have to. I'm going to help you."

"Why?"

Conh shrugged. "It's the right thing to do."

"Thank you."

Climbing out of the straw pile, a slow grin spread across Conh's face. "Besides, if I help you, you'll owe me one."

The dragon gaped at the youth for a while. Then they both dissolved into gales of laughter.

* * *

AN: So it wasn't a few days. This part was written I just got sucked in to parts of my life that were more important. Nothing really to say other than let me know what you think! 


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